Map Strategy: Relic
By Danny Chihdo
You've made your last stand on Zanzibar, climbed the Ivory Tower, plumbed the depths of Beaver Creek, and you still can't get enough maps for your multiplayer Halo® 2 fix? Then the Maptacular Map Pack is for you!
Is that a monument or are you just happy to see me?
Of the nine post-launch maps released for Halo 2, Relic is the most visually stunning. It rests on the Halo—or a Halo anyway, who knows which one? A giant, ancient structure—perhaps a ship—that's also a tomb of the Forerunners dominates an open map situated on a tiny island, complete with sandy beaches. It seems perfect for small Capture the Flag (CTF) games or insane Slayer matches. This article takes a quick tour of the key locations. Just wait until you see the floating sniper platform …
The sniper platform, unoccupied.
The Relic
The map's namesake is hard to miss—a giant, ship-like monument that may be a memorial to ancient Forerunners, long dead from fighting the Flood. One end I'll call the "Nose"—it's a tower built at the head of the long structure, with a flag base situated over a wide, open window. The other end is the "Tail," where you find the two-way teleporter.
The "Nose"
Yep, the nose contains one of the two CTF flag bases (but I bet you play single-flag CTF on this tight map more than the double-flag variety) and the wide window—which looks like a mouth from afar—is perfect for taking out enemies at a distance. When, on the other hand, you nab the flag, the window is a great place to exit. Follow the nose to the edge of the island and you'll see …
Fortunately the 'hog survived the crash.
The Crashed Dropship
The smashed human dropship is littered with debris, weapons, and a chaingun-mounted warthog. Nearby are barriers and a turret for defending the base. From here, go left to reach one end of the two-way teleporter, and keep going to head down the Long Beach, an open stretch that includes a rocket launcher at the halfway point. Veer right to take the more difficult terrain of the Rocky Beach, which provides more cover. The dropship is also a flag base in CTF.
The Big Log
A huge hunk of driftwood offers the quickest access to the boulder-strewn dropship area—just charge up one side to clear the enemy's cover and drop in for a quick, surprise flag grab. There are many pieces of wood all over the landscape, but this one is easy to spot, and it points right at the warthog.
The Big Log: next stop, dropship.
The Two-Way Teleporter
The activation switch for this nifty device is in a tunnel just inside the tail of the big monument structure. Get in by dropping down from the platform above, through a couple of side entrances or the rear exit. The X button activates the teleporter, which immediately zaps you to the spot near the crashed dropship, and back again. Of course, the enemy can use it just as easily!
The sword is straight ahead, tucked in an alcove.
The Sword Nook
Looking for the sword? Yeah, I thought so. The sword on the Relic map is relatively easy to reach, which means you should expect another player or two to be there when you arrive. (Remember Ivory Tower? It's like that, but even tighter.) Look for it halfway between the nose and tail at ground level, dead center of the map, tucked away so you don't see it until you run inside.
The Sniper Platform
What's cooler than a great sniper's ledge? A sniper platform that floats. This one sits on the rocky side, with an anti-grav lift directly beneath it. Just run up to the blue energy field, jump, and you'll land in a nicely protected perch with a view of most of the island. Keep your eyes open and watch for enemies trying to sneak up to the platform to surprise you.
The sniper platform, very occupied.
The Beach
One last thing: You're probably familiar with maps like Zanzibar that have a very forgiving coastline—heck, in single player, there are some levels where youhave to drive through the water. Try that here and you're asking for trouble. I've called them "beaches" in this piece, but the edges of the island are better described as "sheer underwater cliffs." Go more than a few feet into the ocean and you fall to your death (even in your 'hog).
Relic is one of five new maps included in the appropriately titled Maptacular Map Pack for Halo 2. Hardened warriors can purchase these playgrounds of destruction in one of two ways. For a paltry $11.99, Xbox Live® subscribers download the pack to their Xbox® hard drives. Unlucky offline gamers (non-subscribers) who can't take their consoles online can get the new content on DVD in a deluxe edition called the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack, which includes five Maptacular Maps, both Killtacular Maps, two Bonus Maps, the Halo 2 1.1 update.
